Jal Shakti Department regularises 1969 Engineers

JAMMU, Oct 7: In a major move aimed at efficient cadre management, the Jal Shakti Department (JSD) issued regularization orders of 396 Engineers in various ranks here yesterday, with another 411 in the pipeline pending essential clearances.

Many of those benefited by resultant pay fixation are retired officers who had been drawing pensions in lower ranks.

Since September 2022, 1969 engineers have been regularized, promoted and recommended, right from the rank of Junior Engineer to Superintending Engineer. Officers had been working in incharge capacity, i.e. on adhoc basis, for years together, without substantive promotions. In many a cases, the regularization has taken place after more than 22 years of the adhoc placement.

The proactive and transparent processes steered by the Public Service Commission (PSC) have enabled the department to address these long pending issues.

The recommendations of the Departmental Promotion Committee in the PSC has resulted in orders of promotion of 70 Executive Engineers to Superintending Engineers, 129 Assistant Executive Engineers to Executive Engineers, 415 Assistant Engineers to the role of Assistant Executive Engineers and 665 Junior Engineers to Assistant Engineers while another 690 officers have been cleared subject to essential clearances which are in process.

Also, in another first, since September 2022, the department has strived to man all the posts in the department with competent officers by timely posting and placement of 19 I/c Chief Engineers, 28 I/c Superintending Engineers, 56 I/c Executive Engineers.

Further, the department has made concerted efforts to issue seniority lists at various ranks to bring transparency and stability while assuring career progression free of favouritism. The final seniority lists have been issued in respect of Superintending Engineers [G.O. No. 10-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 25.01.2023], Assistant Engineers (Degree Holders) [G.O. No. 233-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 27.09.2023] and Assistant Engineers (Diploma Holders) [G.O. No. 234-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 27.09.2023] while tentative seniority list have been issued in respect of Assistant Executive Engineers (Degree Holders) [Circular No. 08-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 06.10.2023], Executive Engineers (Degree Holders) [Circular No. 09-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 06.10.2023] and Assistant Executive Engineers (Diploma Holders) [Circular No. 10-JK(JSD) of 2023 dated 06.10.2023].

The resolution of the regularization matters will pave the way for smooth career progression of the Engineering cadre i.e from the level of Junior Engineer to Chief Engineer.

This has been possible only due to the visionary leadership of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha. The directions of Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta and encouragement of the Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar have been critical to the entire process.

Most of all, it has been the unstinted support and guidance by Satish Chandra, Chairman of the Public Service Commission and Zubair Ahmad Raza (Member PSC & Chairman DPC, JSD) that has made the difference; that too despite extreme preoccupation with the ongoing time bound recruitments. This has enabled the department headed by Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary to work tirelessly to address these service matters.

These measures have enabled the department to rise to the challenges of execution of the Jal Jeevan Mission, flagship scheme of the Government of India that envisages to provide safe and adequate drinking water, @ 55 LPCD of BIS 10500 quality to every rural household, numbering 18.67 lakh in J&K.

Jal Shakti Department is committed to cater to the requirements of the inhabitants of the UT of J&K through its dedicated officials.

Revival of Kashmir’s paddy fields: 10% surge in local cultivation this year, farmers upbeat

Many farmer families switch back to cultivation mode, say weather this was favourable; Cultivation area increases from 1.26 lakh hectares to 1.29 lakh hectares this year: Dir Agri

Umaisar Gull Ganie

Kulgam, Oct 07 (KNO): Much to the delight of local farmers in Kashmir, there has been a 10 per cent surge in the local rice cultivation this year after a long gap.

Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), an agriculture expert, wishing not to be named, while shedding light on the situation, stated that for many years, the people of Kashmir had relied on the government’s rice allocations through the Public Distribution System to sustain their rice needs. “The reduction in government’s rice allocations has instigated a transformation in the valley,” he said.

The expert further said that the cutback necessitated by government budget constraints, raised concerns among Kashmir’s residents. As rice became costlier and less in quantity, the people of the valley found themselves compelled to reassess their approach of sustenance.

In response to the dwindling rice supplies, many families returned to their agricultural roots, the expert explained. “The lush, fertile lands of Kashmir have long been known for their paddy fields. However, as government-supplied rice became the norm over time, these fields had lost some of their past glory. Now, faced with the need to secure their own food, families across the valley have rekindled their efforts in paddy cultivation.”

Farmers are overjoyed by the substantial increase in this year’s paddy production. They attribute the success to the favourable weather conditions, which were notably better compared to the previous year.

Ghulam Rasool Shah, a local farmer from Kulgam district, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am grateful to Almighty for the favorable weather and abundant sunshine we had this year. The crop yield for this year has seen a substantial increase compared to the previous year.”

Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal told KNO that the productivity this year has increased by 10 percent as compared to previous years. “Like the previous year, this year too, the department gave all necessities to the farmers like subsidies for buying fertilizers.”

The cultivation this year has increased from 1.26 lakh hectares to 1.29 lakh hectares, he said, adding that the exact percentage of increase in production will come after ground assessment—(KNO)